Cushioned wheel.



G. T. MOMILLAN. GUSHIONED WHEEL.

1221101111011 111.31) JULY 17, 1912.

1,102,423. Patntedjuly 7, 19.1 1

WITNESSES: IN VENTQR r .a'rhis 4110mm?- some hesitate-tenement. scorn DAiiQflh;

assesses WHEEL.

fTofoZZ whom it may concern: 4 v I Be it known that I, Geokoic T. MGMIILIZANQI a citizen of the United States, residingat;

"State of South Dakota, have invented ai new and useful Cushioned Wheel, of whi'clr .thsfollowin'g is a specification.

My 'nventi'on relates to supporting wheels i for vehicles of all kinds, and may also be, used as a traction or drivingwheelfor same' The main object of the invention is tos provide an improved Wheel having internal":

icushions and springs which serve the purbody of vehicles.

In the accompanymg drawing, -Figure 'is a partly sectional side elevation of thei? outer side of my im roved wheel a portion of the outer hub sect1'on, -'2, half oi the-lower; spoke, 8,"and half of the hatched bottom portion of the wheel being broken away. Fig. 2, is an almost diametrical section of the wheel on the line a-a Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an inner. side View of one of the outer hub sections of the wheel, and 'a portion of a s oke.

Referring to the drawing y reference I numerals, the hub of the wheel is composed of an inner section 1 having a large central hole 3, and two outer or side sections, 2 and I 2, each of which is provided at its lnner eide with a projection 4 passed into the hole 3 and having a central hole 5 for the axle of. the vehicle, (not shown). Each side sec tion isalso provided upon its inner side with radial lugs 6 (see Fig. 3), which contact with the sides of the inner section of the hub soas to provide spaces or pockets 7 between the sections; in said spaces are inserted the inner ends of U-shaped spokes 8, whichare provided with conic apertures, in which are tted conic ortions 9 o:t bushing*s 10, which are inserted in holes in the inner section, and a bolt 11 passed through all three hub.

' sections and through the pa r of bushings in the inner ends of each or" the spokes and is provided with a nut 12 by which the outer hub sections are firmly secured with their ugs 6 against the sides of themiddlesection 1, while the spokes 8 may swing slightly on the bushings between the adjacent, lugs 6 (see Fig. 3). If the spokes become loose on the bushings from their wear on same, wash- I Specification of Letters Patent. h' biiett'iairhied'iul 1711913. Serial No. 779M013.

ers they be placed as at 13 Fig. 2, to there- Patented July '7, 1914.

by'pash the cone of the bushing sate into the spoke andthus prevent rattling.

The inner hub section is provided with a series of radial sockets in which are inserted and secured byset-screws 14 the inner ends of flat spring arms 15, whoseouter ends are each 'providedwith an aperture placed upon a bolt '16,; which is passedthrouoh the two arms ofthejU-shaped spoke and provided with a nut 17-, and two collars 18, said col- B6 lars serving to fill the spaces betweenthe spoke and the springarm 15, so that the latter may aid the spoke inresistin'g lateral. pressure either at the hub or the felly or tire of the wheel. v t I I 19 designates'the -tire of the wheel; it-is grooved from the inner side, and in said groove is secured a wooden felly 20, having a plaininner face, upon which is secured arched brackets 21, one bracket for each spoke the wheel. Each bracket may be secured by two bolts 22, or by four of them as indicated to the right in Fi .2 by showing two screws in one end of t e bracket in said place. I I I I Each of said arched brackets is pas ed through one of-the U-shaped spokes 'a'nda radial bolt 23 is passed through thetire, the

telly, the and bar '8" of the spoke and the top bar of the arched bracket and provided with a nut 2 3i which hold said parts- :firmly together, except that the spoke is slidable on the bolt. Upon said bolt is placed between the bar 8 and the arch a partly compressed coil sprlng 25, and between the bar 8 and the folly is placed a rubber cushion 26.

The operation andusefulnessof the invention audits parts willbe understood by supposing that the position of the wheel shown in' Fig. 1 represents fairly well an and all other positionsin which the whee may be turned. I It, will then be seen that when the weight of axle and vehicle, and erhaps' a load in the vehicle, press the hub ownward, the springs 25 in the five upper spokeagmd the six most horizontally disposed spring arms 15 will support such weight, and if the weight is very h g I or the vehicle bounces on an uneven road, further support is afi'ordedby the. rubber cushions 26 at the three lowest spokes. It will also be undestood that the pivot joints at the inner ends of the spokes are necessary to permit the spokes that are in ornear to. a horizontal position to yield to the displacement of the axle and hub slightly below the center of the wheel when the springs yield, as stated,

When the wheel is fixed on the axle, or otherwise used as a traction wheel r driver, there is, of course, a tendency to turn the hub faster than the wheel; this tendency is resisted by the stifl'ness of the spring arms 15; said arms being however lim'ber enough to permit the spokes 8 to swing sufficient y at" their pivot joints for the purpose described.

The tire 19 is of the V-shape shown, so as to engage sufficiently in an ordinary road to prevent lateral skidding, of the wheel. The rubber cushions 26 may of course be exchanged for springs, but I prefer rubber because it is not so liable to get full of dirt, and because it oflers a more positive resistance when the hub of the wheel has reached the lowest point it is designed to reach.

What I claim is 1. In a vehicle wheel, the combination with a hub having radial sockets about midway between its ends, and other or outer radial sockets nearer the ends of the hub; a series of U-shaped spokes having their inner ends pivotally secured in said outer .sockets so as to swing slightly therein, radial spring arms secured each with one end in'one of the middle sockets and having its outer end pivotally secured between the arm'smf the adjacent spoke; a felly, arched brackets having their inner ends within the U-shaped spokes and secured to the felly, a tire about the felly, a radial bolt passed through the tire, the telly, the outer end of each spoke, and the inner end of the adjacent bracket, a nut on the inner end of said bolt, an expansion coil spring encircling the bolt between the bracket and the spoke, and a rubber cushion upon the bolt between the folly of the middle section, U-shaped spokes hav ing their arms provided with conic holes, bushings fittedin the sides of the middle section and having each conic portion fitting in the conic hole in one of the arms of the spoke, a, bolt passed through the three hub sections and through the bushings in the ends of the spoke, a nut on said bolt, a bolt assed through each spoke and through 2" 'the outer end of one of the spring armsand provided with a nut, and collars fitted on the bolts and filling between the spring arm and the arms of the spoke adjacent each side thereof, afelly, means attaching the felly tothe ends of the spokes in a manner allowing radial movement of the spokes to and from the felly, and cushioning means arranged to resist said movement.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

J GEORGE 'r. McMILLAN.

Witnesses: W. H. CONKLIN,

D. J. MCMILLAN. 

